PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) 鈥� The federal government postponed an auction of floating offshore wind leases off the Oregon coast on Friday after and the state's governor asked that all leasing activities stop.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management did not set a new date for the sale. It said the decision to postpone was based on 鈥渋nsufficient bidder interest at this time.鈥�
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek wrote to the agency shortly before the announcement, asking it to terminate the current auction, reported. Kotek cited growing concerns from coastal and fishing communities, tribes and others.
Some are concerned that the construction will harm sea life, marine habitat, culturally important areas and views of the ocean. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians 鈥� whose culture is tied to the ocean 鈥� .
In light of the mounting opposition, the number of companies planning to bid on the leases dwindled.
Five companies were qualified to bid. Mainstream Renewable Power Inc., one of the five, told this week that it will not longer participate. Two others told the that they, too, are backing out.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said Friday that it will continue working with government agencies and tribal governments, as well as support ongoing processes to engage with stakeholders, in order to figure out a future opportunity for a potential lease sale.
There are only a handful of floating offshore arrays across the globe. in the U.S. to develop commercial-scale floating wind farms in 2022. The federal government issued the nation鈥檚 to the state of Maine in August.
In Oregon, the plans for floating wind (790 square kilometers) off the state's southern coast. The two areas are 32 miles (52 kilometers) off the coast of Coos Bay and 18 miles (29 kilometers) from the small city of Brookings, near the California state line.
The Associated Press
